Crazy talk, if Michael Chandler can't get Alvarez's back then how could Aoki?

Lol.

Maybe when Shinya Aoki virtually decapitates Alvarez with the titanium in his fists, he can sink in that rear-naked choke too.

Seriously, Aoki's funny to me. On paper, when Aoki tries getting into clinch warfare so he can pull guard on Alvarez only to throw together a heel hook as Alvarez is threatening to escape, it just sounds funny and highly unlikely. Then again...

Aoki has done it before. A lot. Almost every time. Because that's how he wins.

alvarez needs to watch the sakurai/aoki fight, sakurai didnt even give him a fuckin chance, thats one of only ways to beat shinya...swarm him, but hes gotta be smart and not get to aggressive, because hes not a great wrestler, and his control, which wev e seen in recent bellator bouts, isnt that great either, so his best bet is standing in the first 1:30

did u watch that match?..knees to a ground opponent is not allowd in the states, which Sakurai landed 3/4 knees followd by 5/6 punches, but it was the knees which already had Aoki ko'd..that wouldnt fly by here..Aoki was winning before the ground' knees from Sakurai..

...after he got rocked and dropped by a flurry of punches...ive seen that fight several times

Aoki's clinch work will be the key here. Alvarez had plenty of knowledge on Aoki and tried desperately to keep it standing and out of the clinch but couldn't. This is a crucial area I give an edge to Aoki even in the cage. He has really put together his MMA grappling and is better adjusted to the cage, still has great transitions, great sweeps, uses leverage properly in the clinch to out technique stronger fighters. It's really awesome to see if he can do that every fight. In a way he is the male version of Rousey, always trying for the takedown and submission right away but even better because his arsenal of submission is more complete and he fights at a higher level of competition.